Atom: Journey Across the Subatomic Cosmos
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The legendary Isaac Asimov starts what is perhaps the finest of all his books with a simple query: How finely can a piece of matter be divided? But like many simple questions, ... Publishers Weekly It takes our best science writers, plus readers current with the whimsical new language of particle physics, to keep up with the leapfrog pace of theory and observation today. Fortunately, Asimov does his part in this report on recent theoretical physics developments that includes just enough history to add human dimension to the latest discussions of the nature of matter. Missing here are the characteristic Asimov metaphors and asides, suggesting that, while juggling so many pure concepts at once, he chooses not to distract his readers. No matter, they will welcome this straightforward guide to the Alice-like world of down-quarks, muons, leptons and other subatomic particles--most of which are believed to exist but have not yet been seen. When information does start coming in from the supercollider, this will be a worthy book to have at hand. (Apr.)
Chapter One: Matter\ Dividing Matter Elements Atomism Triumphant The Reality of Atoms The Differences Among Atoms\ Chapter Two: Light\ Particles and Waves The Four Phenomena Combining the Phenomena Extending the Spectrum Dividing Energy\ Chapter Three: Electrons\ Dividing Electricity Cathode-Ray Particles X Rays Electrons and Atoms Electrons and Quanta Waves and Particles\ Chapter Four: Nuclei\ Probing the Atom Positively Charged Particles Atomic Numbers Spectral Lines\ Chapter Five: Isotopes\ Nuclear Energy Nuclear Varieties Half-Lives Stable Nuclear Varieties\ Chapter Six: Neutrons\ Protons and Electrons Protons and Neutrons Nuclear Reactions Artificial Isotopes\ Chapter Seven: Breakdowns\ Mass Defect Nuclear Fission Nuclear Fusion Breakdown Particles\ Chapter Eight: Antimatter\ Antiparticles Cosmic Rays Particle Accelerators Baryons\ Chapter Nine: Neutrinos\ Saving the Laws of Conservation Detecting the Antineutrino Detecting the Neutrino Other Leptons Unstable Particles Neutrino Varieties\ Chapter Ten: Interactions\ The Strong Interaction The Weak Interaction The Electroweak Interaction\ Chapter Eleven: Quarks\ The Hadron Zoo Inside Hadrons Quantum Chromodynamics\ Chapter Twelve: The Universe\ The Mystery of the Missing Mass The End of the Universe The Beginning of the Universe\ Index
\ Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly\ It takes our best science writers, plus readers current with the whimsical new language of particle physics, to keep up with the leapfrog pace of theory and observation today. Fortunately, Asimov does his part in this report on recent theoretical physics developments that includes just enough history to add human dimension to the latest discussions of the nature of matter. Missing here are the characteristic Asimov metaphors and asides, suggesting that, while juggling so many pure concepts at once, he chooses not to distract his readers. No matter, they will welcome this straightforward guide to the Alice-like world of down-quarks, muons, leptons and other subatomic particles--most of which are believed to exist but have not yet been seen. When information does start coming in from the supercollider, this will be a worthy book to have at hand. (Apr.)\ \
